Expert: Pucko - 3/6/2006

Question
Pucko  --  Thank heaven for real-person resource. My family (5 adults) plan to visit from about 10JUN2006 for perhaps 10 days or so.  We are everso flexible and are writing to enquire about PLACES and THINGS THAT ARE NOT TO BE MISSED.  Will be traveling by car/van.  Your best guess about entry/exit airport (would consider Rome, Venice, etc.)  In addition to PLACES and THINGS, your suggestions for dining, local favorite dishes, quaint/authentic lodging, unique local products or handicrafts, any specific places we should spend extra time, and so on.  In other words, sit back, crack open a cold martini and let your mind free-range on the ideal trip that YOU would take to get the very most out of it.  Many thanks for the service.  No hurry.  Kindly call if you have questions.  Very best  --  Bart Green (402-475-2470 after 1400 CT)

Answer
I think the best entry airport would be Rome, because all the places you mentioned are on the northern side(Venice, Verona, Milano, Bologna, Vicenza, Trieste, Torino,...). While staying in Italy (especially Rome) I recommend using public transportation because it is overcrowded by vehicles and it' s hard to get around.
You should definetly visit Verona - it' s a small town but it has amphitheatre, house of Romeo and juliet(the famous balcony) and some other sightseeings.
I didnÿt like Venice because the sea smells and it' somehow gray...but that´ just my opinion.
If you plan to go to Croatia you should stick to the coast. it´looks like Italy but it´s not so crowded and noisy and the prices are much more acceptable.  

If you want to know something specific about the places in Croatia send me reply.
You should try some authentic Croatian meals, mostly the sea specialities but also wine, cheese and home made lamb meals. Maybe you should try finding accomodation few miles away from coast, because those villages are ideal places for experiancing the thrue authentic Mediterranean eay of living(food, local products, local habits and tradition). I recommend western parts of Dalmatia or Histria.
In Croatia you should visit Opatija, Pula, Porec, Rovinj, Trogir, Solin, Split, Dubrovnik and some of the island (there are more than 1400 of them, but try visiting Hvar, Mljet, Brijuni - national park,Kornati or Brac).
If you like Natur there are several national parks with waterfalls and lakes: Krka, Paklenica, Plitvice,...
Regarding the exit airport...there are several international airports in the region, so i suggest the nearest one at the current time.
PS
Feel free to ask another question(maybe my answer wasn' t good enough or I missed something).